A veteran high school teacher befriends a younger art teacher, who is having an affair with one of her 15-year-old students. However, her intentions with this new "friend" also go well beyond platonic friendship.
Judi Dench
Barbara Covett
Cate Blanchett
Sheba Hart
Bill Nighy
Richard Hart
Andrew Simpson
Steven Connolly
Phil Davis
Brian Bangs
Michael Maloney
Sandy Pabblem
Juno Temple
Polly Hart
Max Lewis
Ben Hart
Joanna Scanlan
Sue Hodge
Julia McKenzie
Marjorie
Shaun Parkes
Bill Rumer
Tom Georgeson
Ted Mawson
Emma Kennedy
Linda
Syreeta Kumar
Gita
Wendy Nottingham
Elaine Clifford
Tameka Empson
Antonia Robinson
Leon Skinner
Davis
Debra Gillett
Lorraine
Barry McCarthy
Dave
Adrian Scarborough
Martin
Jill Baker
Sheba's Mother
Diana Berriman
Marcia
Alice Bird
Saskia
Benedict Taylor
Eddie
Miranda Pleasence
Eddie's Wife
Jonathan Speer
Vet
Stephen Kennedy
Mr. Connolly
Derbhle Crotty
Mrs. Connolly
Catherine Drew
Newsreader
Anne-Marie Duff
Annabel
Kevin Hudson
Teacher (uncredited)
Gabrielle Brooks
Choir Member (uncredited)
Director
Richard Eyre
Novel
Zoë Heller
Screenplay
Patrick Marber
August 4, 2012
6
This is one of those films like a great pasta dish where everything is just right but somehow you still don't feel the restaurant is justified charging $21.95 for a plate of noodles and tomato sauce. The direction is top notch, Cate Blanchett as Sheba Hart is great and Bill Nighy supporting just works. As much as I usually adore Judi Dench's acting, I thought she was a little too one-dimensional in this role. But given her choice, she executed the role with the usual Dench precision.
This is a twisted love triangle story with very real characters. If you're the kind that picks up the dirt rags in the checkout line at the supermarket, you'll probably love the story. I gave it a 7 on my scale. It won't blow you away, but you won't feel like you've wasted your time either.